


Shore Skins

by animangod



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Accidental Plot, Accidental Relationship, Fai and Yuui find out he's very caring and gruff and they adore him, Fishing, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Kurogane looking after twin selkies, Nudity, Selkies, Sharks, Stuffed Toys, Temporary Nudity, local fishermen becomes accidental dad figure to adorable juevinile selkies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-24 21:27:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22164703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animangod/pseuds/animangod
Summary: Fai and Yuui are juevinile selkies.While fishing, Kurogane accidentally catches one of them.
Relationships: Fay D. Fluorite & Kurogane, Fay D. Fluorite & Original Fay, Fay/Kurogane/Yuui (CLAMP)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

Shores were for climbing out of one's skin and dancing and singing and enjoying life out of the water. But the water was home and climbing back into one's skin was how one could return. Without it, water would long to embrace them but it could not touch them.

There had been warnings, don't trust the fishermen for they seek a watery bride. Many knew of one of their own who had disappeared and later discovered couldn't come back into the water for many years. They spoke of how the fisherman stole their skin and there's no knowing when one would be able to steal it back and return. Some spoke of a child who had found it locked away, others of waiting til the fisherman was out at sea, and searching for it. Some spoke of kindness and others of violence. But it was agreed upon a fisherman seeking a watery bride was always the cause.

Fai and Yuui had heard these tales before, but it was not enough to persuade them from joining the celebrations at night when they found sand instead of ice to beach upon. Or from occasionally going after the same fish the local fishermen were going after.

Now, Kurogane was a routine fisherman. He enjoyed going fishing. He had a boat for his early morning fishing, where he would sell what he could, and during the evening he enjoyed sitting on the shore to fish. It was usually calming although sometimes he heard a lot of giggling and singing further down the shore.

Since he was busy looking for fish, he never went to investigate. What did it matter if there was singing and giggling - several people liked to have beach parties at night - as long as they didn't scare off the fish. Or at least if they are going to scare them, scare them his way and into his hook.

But on this one day, he had barely caught a single fish. What few he caught that morning went to supplying restaurants with fresh catch. He could say it was because of the splash noises in the distance or that they just weren't interested in what his current bait was. Whatever the case, he was getting ready to pack up for the day, and began to reel in his line when there was a tug on his line. Whatever it was, it wasn't what he usually caught in the shallower waters, so as he let the line go slack and reeled back in again, he was a bit surprised when a spotted seal came swimming towards the shore with his hook in the tail.

“Oh great…” he grumbled to himself.

And then, a second seal came lumbering out of the water after the first and before he realized what just happened, a naked man stood in front of him, holding onto a furry pelt.

While he'd heard stories about men and women who could become seals, stories of sirens who lure sailors to drown and mermaids who looked part fish, he never thought he'd come across one. He thought they were just old sea wives tales.

“Please don't hurt my brother.”

“Now why would I try and do that?” Kurogane asked the seal, man, who had enough decency to hold his fur close to his skin and let it hang down, covering part of his nude body. Or perhaps no decency and that was just him protecting his own seal skin. He caught the word brother so the seal on his line was also male.

“You’re a fisherman, right?”

“So I fish, what about it?”

The human looking one seemed surprised, “… fisherman are always trying to steal one of our people for a bride.”

Kurogane made a deadpan expression. “What use do I have for a bride? Especially a stolen one. Now get your brother to do whatever you just did - be easier to get my hook outta him that way.”

Both looked surprised at that. He wasn't sure how the seal pulled it off exactly but he managed. After a bit, the brother slipped out of his skin, just as naked as his brother but unlike him, not holding onto his skin.

“How generous of you.”

Kurogane rolled his eyes as he slowly reeled in the rest of his line, pulling the limp fur towards him. With a short sigh, he pulled out his tackle box and pulled out scissors that could cut through hooks. Setting the fur in his lap, he carefully examined in the low light where the hook was caught. Since it had already gone past the barb, the hook couldn’t be saved without tearing the tail more, so with a small slant, he cut the hook away from the top part, and slowly pulled the remaining part of the hook out before putting the snipped end in his tackle box so no one would step on it and get hurt.

Kurogane inspected the remaining holes as well as he could in the low light. “Do you want me to patch this up? Have to do it when it's daylight though.”

“You can patch my skin?” The brother asked.

“Either that or I give it back, as is. Up to you.”

The siblings were quiet, and he could tell they were looking at one another, although he couldn't tell if they were considering his offer.

“You promise to take care of it?”

“If I had any interest in damaging your skin more, I woulda done it to get my hook back in one piece.”

They seemed to consider that, before the brother without a skin asked, “can I borrow your skin in the meantime?”

He wondered about what the seal man meant, “ymean my shirt?”

“Shirt?” The two asked.

“It's a type of clothes… most people wear em to cover up some with."

“Then that.”

Setting his pole entirely to the side, Kurogane removed his shirt and tossed it at the brother whose skin was in his lap. 

“Be warmer than being, entirely naked.” He almost said butt naked, but well, his butt still would be naked.

“Thank you," he said holding onto it.


	2. Chapter 2

“Why are you juss standing around in my house?” Kurogane asked, looking up from his current project.

“You didn’t want me to stand outside in the cold, did you?” He had learned this brother was called Fai

“Ain’t that cold,” Kurogane dismissed, “besides you coulda gone swimming or something.”

“I can’t without my fur.”

“Oh…” There was a pause. “And what’s your reason?”

“I didn’t want to leave my Brother.” This brother, he learned, was called Yuui.

“... just don’t eat all my fish. Thanks to you two, I didn’t catch any last night.”

“You mean, we can have some of your fish?” Yuui asked hopefully.

“Some, just not all of it. You two are probably hungry, right?” Kurogane murmured.

“Awh~ thanks~” Fai said.

“Hm...well, stay out of trouble. Just me here, so I don’ wanna have to clean up more than necessary.”

“O~~kay~”

He sent Fai a frown, not believing he meant that before going back to carefully tending to the skin in his lap.

“Have you done this before?”

“More or less.”

“More or less?” Fai asked curiously.

“Do you want your skin patched up or to keep questioning me?”

“Both.”

“Pick one. Or I'll toss you both back into the waters.”

The two brothers looked at one another.  _ What an odd fisherman _ , they agreed.

It grew quiet as Kurogane pressed sterilized tilapia skin pieces against the tail to promote healing. It wasn't as simple as simply sewing the holes closed. That would leave more holes and he preferred to only use natural materials for the selkie's pelt. He gave the pelt a frozen sea salt bath overnight and the sterilized tilapia skin was placed carefully over the holes, and he held them in place

After a couple hours of holding the skin in place, he set the fur down so the tilapia skin would hopefully finish sealing up the wounds - no pun intended - and went to the kitchen to get some fish to eat. Washing up, he opened his fridge to see which fish he was going to prepare.

“Of course they ate the herring,” Kurogane commented dryly - seeing as he got that the most recently - and looked for one of his older fish to eat. Finding his bonito, it had been frozen and iced but it was six days old so he began to prepare it before he realized he hadn't seen the two seals - selkies - in a while.

And it had been rather quiet.

With a sigh, he paused his work on lunch, washed up again and went to search for them. Just to make sure they weren't getting into too much trouble.

After quickly looking about, he heard quiet laughter coming from his bedroom. He sighed for a moment, and mentally tried to prepare himself for whatever the two had gotten up to while he was busy tending to the fur, before he opened the door.

He wasn't entirely prepared to see them sitting on his pillows and having all - what few - clothes he had in the middle of his bed and playing with his two stuffed animals - one a blue tiger shark and one an orange squid.

He stood in the doorway, staring at the two, even after they noticed him and quit playing.

“Are you upset with us?” Yuui asked shyly.

“....well...guess it aint  _ that _ big a mess you two made.”

“Are you already finished fixing my skin?” the other asked curiously.

“No...needs to rest in place for a bit more before it's finished healing.”

“How long?” 

“Maybe by tonight, maybe tomorrow. Since it ain't too bad, shouldn't take too much longer than that.”

The two brothers looked at each other before at Kurogane, “so then, do you mind us staying more?”

He almost asked if he had a choice before letting out a puff, “just stay out of trouble, then. Also… I'm going fishing when it's dark out, if'n you two wanna come along.”

“You'd let us come with you?”

“Long as you ain't splashing about, n scaring em away.” Kurogane began to turn away before adding, “n be sure to pick up some afore you come out fer lunch.”

He then went back to the kitchen to finish preparing lunch for the three of them.


	3. Chapter 3

“If yer gonna come with me, you gotta dress right…”

“Dress right?”

“Yes. Can't have you freezing yer butts off.”

“Freezing our???”

_ Right… they don' understand all my words _ .

"You wear your skins to stay warm, right? Well that's what these are for… stayin warm." He explained as he held out a couple of coats for them to wear.

"Oh! That's what you meant! Why didn't you say so sooner?" Fai spoke jovially while Yuui began trying to put on the coat and snuggled into the soft furry hood. It wasn't the same as his fur, but it felt cozy.

With the encouragement from Yuui, they were soon both snuggling into the coats.

"Did you make these too?" Yuui asked.

"Nah, my lil cousin did. I keep em for when she comes for a visit so she'll have a spare coat."

"So thoughtful~" Fai cooed.

Kurogane rolled his eyes some as he grabbed his fishing gear. "Alright - let's see if we can't catch some fish for breakfast."

"Okaay~~"

Fai and Yuui headed out with Kurogane, towards the same beach where he had unintentionally caught Fai the night before.

Kurogane set up along the beachside, partially filling a cooler with saltwater and set up his pole, switching to a new hook and added fresh bait. Casting the line, he sat down and had a selkie soon on either side of him.

"Do you catch fish here every night?"

"Not every night - don't do it in storms - but usually. Here's usually peaceful."

"Do you ever go to parties on the beach?"

"Not really. I usually can tell when one is going on, but unless there's gonna be free food, I juss stick to myself."

"How can you tell?"

"From here, it's easy to see the bonfires and sometimes hear laughter from those beach night parties. Know there was one last night, but I was more concerned with catching fish than figuring out who it was this time frolicking about .."

"Do you ever get lonely?" Yuui asked.

He was quiet at that, not having an immediate reply and was thankful when he felt the tug of a snagged fish. Reeling it in, he freed it from his hook and placed the fish in the cooler.

"Why did you put it in there?"

"So I don't have to kill it now. How old are you two anyway?"

"Um…" Yuui thought over that.

"Well how old are you?" Fai asked.

"... an adult."

"Ah, then we're juveniles~" Fai answered.

"Yes; more than a pup but not yet an adult," Yuui agreed.

"I see.. well if anyone tries to make brides out of you while you ain't adults, find me and I'll make sure they regret it and do what I can so you can head back into the water."

"You would do that?" Yuui asked surprised.

"Yeah, I would. Heck, even if you get to be adults and simply don't approve of them, I'd be willin to help you look for your skin."

Fai and Yuui looked at each other before hugging Kurogane's arms.

"Careful; you don't need to get hooked," he softly scolded as the end of his line waved about with a baited hook.

"You're definitely the best fisherman around," they said happily.

"Eh?" Kurogane made a surprised noise, and he was glad it was dark because his cheeks were now warm. "what gave you two that impression?"

"Because you care a lot. And you would save us from being watery brides to bad fishermen so you're definitely the best~"

"The best," Yuui agreed.

"...! Sure there's better ones out there."

"Even if there is, we will still think you're the best one."

"The best."

He wasn't sure he was the best, but at least if he could be a good one for these boys, he was fine with that.

"Well then, shall I show you two how to catch a fish when you're on the shore?"

"You will?" They seemed excited and while casting the pole didn't come naturally, he was patient and so were they, eventually each catching a fish and Kurogane made sure they didn't hurt themselves when it came time to taking the fish off the hook.

On the way home, they offered to help carry so he let them carry the gear box which they decided to carry together. He walked at a slower pace while carrying the pole and cooler so the twins could go at the pace best for them.

Back at his place, he showed them where the gear went, helped them put away the coats and after a brief consideration, led them to his room.

"You can sleep in here tonight."

"Where will you sleep?"

"Still need to tend the fish… I'll sleep in the living room later." Getting out his stuffed animals, he handed them to the twin who'd been playing with them earlier. "here, you can borrow these to help you sleep better."

"Do they help you sleep better?"

"When I have trouble sleepin, they help." Didn't fix everything but neither did drinking alcohol or any of his other methods he had of getting to sleep.

There was soft smiles as they held them and he tucked them in. It didn't take long to notice them holding the animal with one hand and their brother's hand with the other.

"Alright, get some sleep," Kurogane encouraged.

"Will you sing us a song?" Yuui asked.

"A song?"

"Fishermen know songs; it's the rule," Faid replied with confidence.

"Don't mean I'm any good at singin."

"Please," they requested in a drawn out plea.

He let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair, "spose I know a song or two…"

He sat down on the edge of the bed. Humming, the first few notes, he began to sing a lullaby his mother used to sing to him.

" _ Hush now, mo stóirín. _

_ Close your eyes and sleep. _

_ Waltzing the waves. _

_ Diving in the deep.  _

_ Stars are shining bright. _

_ The wind is on the rise _

_ Whispering words _

_ of long lost lullabies. _

_ Oh won't you come with me _

_ Where the moon is made of gold _

_ And in the morning sun We'll be sailing _

_ Oh won't you come with me _

_ Where the ocean meets the sky _

_ And as the clouds roll by _

_ We'll sing the song of the sea _

_ I had a dream last night _

_ And heard the sweetest sound _

_ I saw a great white light _

_ And dancers in the round _

_ Castles in the sand _

_ Cradles in the trees _

_ Don't cry, I'll see you by and by _

_ Oh won't you come with me _

_ Where the moon is made of gold _

_ And in the morning sun _

_ We'll be sailing _

_ Oh won't you come with me _

_ Where the ocean meets the sky _

_ And as the clouds roll by _

_ We'll sing the song of the sea _

_ Rolling _

_ Rolling _

_ Rolling _

_ Rolling _

_ Oh won't you come with me _

_ Where the moon is made of gold _

_ And in the morning sun _

_ We'll be sailing free _

_ Oh won't you come with me _

_ Where the ocean meets the sky _

_ And as the clouds roll by _

_ We'll sing the song of the sea." _

He hummed the tune a little longer as the selkies drifted off to sleep. When he felt content they were asleep, he quietly walked out of the room and went to finish taking care of that night's business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lullaby lyrics are: Song of the Sea by Nolwenn Leroy.


	4. Chapter 4

The early morning came and with it, Kurogane had work to do. The fish weren't going to catch and sell themselves, after all. He mentally debated waking the sleeping selkies since he didn't want them to wake up to an empty house. Carrying them onto the boat while they were asleep didn't appeal either. So he gently stirred them.

"Mm?" 

"I need to get to work soon. Do you two wanna come or stay here?"

"Work?"

"Yeah, I head out to the open sea and bring back fish to local restaurants so others can enjoy eating fish. They give me money so I can buy things I can't make or catch myself."

"You have one of those big boats?" Yuui asked, rubbing at his face.

"Not exactly. Big enough that I can support myself. Not big enough I require a crew to operate."

"Can we go?" Fai asked, before yawning.

"Sure… just make sure to bring your skins along. Don't want anything to happen to em while nobody's home."

"Okaay~" Fai replied, still sleepy.

Kurogane headed into the kitchen while the twins slowly climbed out of bed and tucked the stuffed animals under the covers. Hearing sounds from the kitchen, they slowly wandered in and found Kurogane making them all breakfast.

"What's this?"

"Fried rice. Some batches are better than others."

"Fried rice?"

"Yeah.. that stuff you ate last night is rice. Fried rice is made with rice and more food and flavors.

"Is there fish in fried rice?"

"If anything, it normally goes on top but … if ya want, could add it in rather than on top."

Yuui shook his head a little, "we want to try it how you eat it."

"Alright then…go sit at the table. Food's almost ready."

* * *

Fai and Yuui watched the ocean below the boat, getting a different perspective on their sea home, as Kurogane used the small motor to send the boat further out to sea, keeping an eye out for any large gatherings of fish. Finding a school beginning to gather, Kurogane knew an ocean predator was around and used a net barely wider than he was tall to catch part of that school of fish. It wasn’t a significant amount of that school, leaving most of the school intact but giving him enough fish to bring back to the restaurants.

After hauling the net of fish aboard, the brothers watched as Kurogane did a quick inspection of each fish, and the smallest ones were dropped into a bucket of seawater - he waited until later before he tossed the small ones back into the ocean to give them a chance to grow up more - while the adult fish he gathered were placed in his onboard cooler.

Kurogane then began to sail away from the school when he spotted the fin of one of those predators, “don’t get too close to the edge. Wouldn't want them to mistake you for an easy meal.”

"What do you call them?"

"Sharks."

"Do you eat them?" Yuui asked.

"No. There's no demand for them besides to look at safely."

"Have you ever caught one?" Fai asked, looking over at Kurogane.

"Once. By accident. Was a young thing. Took a lil bit of coaxing but I got er to let me have my hook back, so she wouldn't be in pain from it."

Fai and Yuui looked at Kurogane with adoration at that, before cuddling up close. "You're the best fisherman."

"The best."

Kurogane flustered at that, before ruffling with their heads, "spose I can live with bein' the best fisher you two know."

"You'll have to anyway because you are," Fai beamed.

"Just how many fishers do you two know anyway?"

"Just you."

"Only you."

"After you meet some more fishers, lemme know if you manage to find any better fisher."

"Even so, how can any be better than you?" Fai asked, nestled up close.

"I don't know, but there might be," Kurogane murmured, his cheeks and ears burning pink with all the compliments from the selkies.

Once back at the dock, Kurogane turned off the engine and tied up his boat so it wouldn’t drift off. Once the boat was secured, he helped Yuui and Fai out of the boat before he carried the cooler full of fish off the boat, and while his smaller one he could do one handed, this one was large enough and heavy enough loaded up, he required both hands.

“We want to help," Yuui insisted.

"Yes. How can we help?" Fai asked.

"Well.. opening up the doors we go to would be helpful."

Fai smiled brightly at that and Yuui made a small smile. At the first restaurant Kurogane stopped at, they both eagerly tried to open the door, before figuring out to pull on the handle. They felt successful and helpful as soon as the door worked and they got to hold it open as Kurogane stepped inside. 

“Thanks you two,” he murmured

The brothers looking delighted at that.

"Kurogane...ah, I see you have some company today. What's the occasion?" The owner, an older man, btought up.

"They're .." He set the cooler down as an excuse to have a few seconds more to come up with an answer. "This is Yuui, and this here’s Fai. They're friends of my cousin so I said I'd look after em while they're here."

"He's really nice,” Yuui said.

"He is! He even taught us how to fish with him,” Fai said with a bright grin.

The old man chuckled warmly, "your old man said you'd be good with kids. Seems these two have taken quite a liking to you."

"Spose so..” Kurogane murmured, quick to change the subject. “Anyway, caught some tuna today.”

“So quick to business with you.”

“Gotta be quicker than the fish, after all," he deflected.

The old man chuckled at the light humor before examining and buying several fish from Kurogane.

Kurogane made several more stops, selling the adult fish with Fai and Yuui opening the doors and otherwise at his side, until he was left with a handful of tunas.

“Do you two like tuna?”

There was small energetic nods.

“Fish is wonderful.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of mewing. Fai and Yuui looked around and saw there was a couple of cats following them. One had bent ears and a sandy calico while the other was black and white.

“They’re cute. What are they?” Fai asked.

“Port cats.”

“What does that mean?” Yuui asked curiously, his attention split between Fai cooing at the cats and Kurogane.

“Means… they can hunt for their own food, but they prefer others to give them fish.”

“Can we feed them?” Yuui asked.

“Please? Please let’s feed them. Just look how cute they are," Fai pleaded.

Kurogane looked at the brothers, and down at the port cats. With a soft sigh, he dug out a fish for each of them.

“One for you to give em," he said, handing one over to Yuui.

“And one for you,” he held it out to Fai.

Before Fai could grab it, the cat with bent ears made a swipe at it and Kurogane pulled it away. "You wait until he gives it to you," he lightly scolded the cat.

"Mrrrl," the cat replied, before purring loudly and rubbed into his legs to convince Fai he really needed the fish.

Fai cooed before he took the fish and held it out to the cat. "There you go."

With a happy look, the cat grabbed the offered fish and carried it away with a proud trot.

The black and white cat Yuui gave his fish to rubbed into his legs with a low purr as soon as he had the fish secured, before trotting off.

"They didn't eat them immediately,” Yuui mused.

"Might have little ones then," Kurogane commented.

"What about you? Where's your pups?"

"Never found a mate."

"But you're an adult, right? Aren't there lots of mates you can impress? Maybe get them a rock."

"That's a good idea. [Penguins] get rocks for their mate and it works well."

Kurogane was quiet at that. "It's not so simple."

"Why not?"

"Well," Kurogane grew quiet. He didn't feel like telling them he didn't have a mate because the one guy he asked out turned him down, and he'd never found anyone else he was interested in dating. And well, he hadn't adopted a kid because he knew the ocean was unpredictable. "Because I love the sea."

"But what about pups of your own?" Yuui asked, looking up at him.

"It's fine. If I really needed pups of my own, I'd just finish raising you two, make sure folks didn' mistreat ya."

Fai moved over to snuggle into Kurogane's side, hugging him alongside his brother. "See? You really are the best."

“Anyway…" he said as if that would kill the fluster, "it’s up to you two… I’m sure yer family would be worried something happened if you two stayed here with me.”

“They would,” Yuui agreed.

"Well... while you two think about what you want to do, we can go back to my place and I'll fix up these remaining fish for us."

"Okay."

* * *

The setting sun left the water sparkling as the ocean tides flowed calmly against the sand, and Fai and Yuui were a little reluctant to leave so soon. Kurogane was different, and they wanted to get to know more about him and meet his family, but they already missed the rest of their family, and didn't want them to think they were taken against their will.

“Is this goodbye?” Yuui asked quietly.

Kurogane squatted down so he was closer to their eye level. “Only if you want it to be. Goodbye means we won't meet again so let the last time be good. Otherwise, it's just.. until we meet again.”

Fai and Yuui didn’t have to think long on that, and nuzzled into Kurogane, wrapping their arms around him. “Let’s meet again.”

“We want to meet you again.”

Kurogane swallowed down the lump that formed in his throat and reached to softly ruffled both of their heads. “I’d like that. So be sure to look after yourselves so I can see how much you’ve grown.”

They nodded.

"We will. We'll come see you again," Fai stated.

“I’ll be looking forward to it. Now then, I’m sure yer family is waiting so I’ll see you two off,” he said giving them soft rubs.

Yuui pulled away first, Fai lingering an extra moment before moving away so they could return to the waters they call home.

Kurogane stood near the shore and watched as Fai and Yuui slipped back into their skins. Soon, they resembled nothing more magical than an ordinary couple of spotted seals. He waited where he stood as they bounced and lumbered their way into the cool ocean waters and swam out to sea, side by side.

Once he was sure they were safely away, he headed to his docked boat and started the engine. He removed the rope keeping it secured and rode it out over a click before turning off the small engine and let his boat bob in the currents.

From the side, he could see Fai and Yuui and he leaned on the edge to watch them from the small distance. He softly smiled to himself seeing them swim about together. When they came closer, he reached out to softly pet their heads. "You two stay safe alright? Try not to get hurt."

Of course, when they let out seal barks, he didn't understand what exactly they said, but he was sure he understood a little nonetheless.

"Alright.. take care of yourselves... hopefully your family is still close by... Until we meet again."

With friendly barks, they swam away and he looked for them even long after he lost sight of them beneath the ocean waters.

Quietly, he hummed to himself the same lullaby his mother used to sing.

"...castles in the sand, cradles in the trees. Don't cry, I'll see you by and by."


	5. Epilogue

Over the years, Kurogane kept to his regular routine most days. He fished on the open sea after breakfast, sold to the restaurants and used his afternoons as he pleased. After dinner, he fished along the shore for the next day's meal, and if he was unsuccessful, he normally had a few reserved fish.

He stared at the sea a lot, and before, he would mostly think of the natural marine life, what fish were available, what the locals preferred, how his supplies and boat were faring, and those he knew were one with the sea, having been lost under crushing waves. Joining the list, he now also thought of the selkie brothers, occasionally wondering how they were faring.

His cousin visited him every spring, when the bonito were at their best. He enjoyed having the company and it gave him a chance to learn about how things were outside of where he lived from someone he trusted. There was always the occasional foreigner, who smelled too much of city air, heavy perfume or different conifers. Tomoyo was one of the few outsiders warmly welcomed by all there, and she could usually convince Kurogane into being a little more social than usual. She would spend a month there, before parting ways and promising to visit again. There were the occasional weekends between spring but like the fish, spring he could always count on her showing up again.

And when the mackerel were plenty, he would hear the familiar jovialness down further, the beginning of the bonfire season. On one of those nights, twin selkies would find him, more careful of getting caught by his hooks. Instead, they waited until he was packing up for the night before lumbering out and with no fear of their skin's safety, they climbed out and gave Kurogane a hug, greeting the fisherman with warm smiles.

The first two years, he was quick to offer them the shirt off his back and whoever didn't get it, carried both their skins on the way to his home where he would look after them as long as they stayed.

After the third year, he chose to keep a spare in his evening tackle box as soon as he caught his first summer squid.

* * *

Seven years had come and gone now, and as far as Kurogane knew, it was a typical summer night, the glow of a bonfire and laughter coming from further down the beach. As he was prone to do, Kurogane kept to himself, catching food for what was to be tomorrow's breakfast.

As he was getting ready to call it a night, he noticed a seal coming over and even in the dark, knew it was one of the selkies he looked after. The thought was almost immediate when he realized there was just one. Those two were so inseparable, seeing just one brother felt wrong.

Kurogane already began removing his shirt for the brother as he climbed out of his skin. He recognized which one it was immediately, and held his shirt out for Yuui.

"Kurogane, would you please go check on my brother," Yuui requested, politely accepting the man's shirt to wear.

"Where is he?" He asked, already getting to his feet.

"He's down at the bonfire. He drank something - then began to act really strange and…"

Carelessly dropping his pole, he sprinted down the beach. 

Putting on Kurogane's shirt, Yuui slung his fur over a shoulder and picked up the fishing gear for Kurogane. He struggled some carrying everything back to Kurogane's place on his own, but taking a few breaks to adjust the weight, he managed.

Kurogane was too preoccupied to notice Yuui wasn't following him, concerned about what was going on with the selkie he helped after hooking him.

As he arrived, he tried to determine just which part was the acting strange part. Was it the wobble-dancing around the bonfire and being one of the few who had any 'clothes' on as most of the dancers weren't wearing clothes of any sort? Was it the cry laugh sound he was making between singing made up words as far as he could tell? Or was it the unmistakable scent of heavy alcohol in the air?

When Fai got close enough, he gently tugged on his hand and pulled him far enough out of the dance circle to ask him if he was okay and not risk him getting stepped on.

"Yay~ you really came~" Fai cheered, his fur worn like some loincloth. He wrapped his arms around Kurogane's neck, "Now that you're here, come dance with me~"

"How much have you had to drink?" Kurogane asked. He could already smell the scent of alcohol on his breath.

"Just a wee bit~ the drink here is super yummy~" Fai said his words slurring into one another, "Mm, what was it called -Slail Soop?"

"You been into the Sailor's Sloop?" Kurogane raised a brow at that.

"You knows it too," he brightened some, "Of course you know of it. Isn't it delicious~?"

Good, he would agree, but it cleaned ships as well as it cleaned out thinking and made fools of folks as they tossed their wits into the wind. The selkie seemed no exception to being affected. Then again, from Yuui saying he began acting weird after drinking something, he suspected this might be Fai’s first time having some.

"Now come on Kurogane ~ these are dancing nights and tonight I wanna dance with you~ "

Tugging him back amongst the crowd, Kurogane stumbled a few steps before he shuffled along. He wouldn't call it dancing, more like shuffling alongside Fai, focusing more on avoiding stepping on Fai's feet or getting stepped on himself. Whatever he called it, it made Fai delighted.

Looking around, he looked back at Fai. "Hey - where'd your brother go? He had been behind me."

"If he's not there, maybe to sleep with your little friend. We can’t sleep alone after all and you said they can help."

Kurogane lowly grunted at that. He stayed with Fai, letting him dance about and like Yuui wanted, he kept an eye on him, making sure he was stilm doing okay. Well, as okay as he could be when he was more than tipsy.

When the fire began to grow low, and the dancing was slowly being forgotten for other activities by the others, Kurogane figured it was time to call it a night for the second time that night.

"Let's get you into bed."

Without more preamble, Kurogane picked Fai up and supported his weight while Fai giggled and leaned into him.

"So sweet; you're carrying me~"

Kurogane snorted at that, disagreeing that he was being sweet, but he would let the selkie think it. With Fai and his skin secure, he began heading towards his place.

Kurogane detoured enough to find out someone had indeed taken his gear. Hoping it was Yuui, he continued carrying Fai to his place to sleep off the alcohol.

After several minutes, Fai murmured what equated to slurred gibberish and Kurogane figured as soon as he got the two tucked together, he would be out nearly as fast as a light.

At his home, he found Yuui nestled in his bed. As he expected, the stuffed animals were tucked beside him. Kurogane gently moved the blanket and tucked Fai in beside Yuui. Yuui stirred a little before sleepily smiling and snuggling in closer to Fai.

Kurogane wrapped them both up with the blanket and left the room to make sure everything was put away and then to sleep on his couch. The days they stayed over, he didn't mind sleeping there if it meant the twins slept well.

* * *

In the morning, Kurogane left a can near the bedside and went to the kitchen to make the three of them breakfast.

He could hear the pitiful moans when Fai woke up, and imagined he was feeling the effects of a bad hangover. He made sure to make extra food that helped ease the malaise and dehydration of hangover so at least he shouldn't suffer too long.

When Fai and Yuui came out of the bedroom, clutching the stuffed animals, he offered a seat at his table, and set the plates out so they could eat breakfast together.

"Here ya go.”

"Thank you," Yuui said with a muffled yawn.

Fai's thanks was less verbally clear, but he looked a little relieved and put on a small smile.

“After breakfast, I’m going fishing.” He paused as the words settled over the table. He wasn't sure if they would both be up to going, or even want to. “Do you wanna come with?”

There was slow nodding from both, even if Fai regretted nodding as soon as he had done so and quickly stuffed the nearest bite into his mouth to feel better.

He reached over and lightly ruffled their hair, “Alright then. Eat up. We'll head out when yer both ready."


End file.
